Brandy Cerny and sons laid to rest

Hundreds of mourners attended the funeral service on Monday, filling the pews and spilling over into the aisles of St. John Catholic Church in Taiton. Two baby blue caskets can be seen on either side of Brandy Cerny's white casket at the front of the church.
Todd Krainin
for The Victoria Advocate

THE BACK STORY

June 17 - The last time Brandy Cerny and her children were seen together, they were with Demond Bluntson, leaving church on Sunday.

June 18 - On Monday morning, Cerny's father, Lloyd Cerny, filed a missing person's report after his daughter failed to show up for work at the Texana Center, a behavioral center in Columbus.

June 19 - On Tuesday afternoon, Jaydin and Devian were found with Bluntson in a Laredo hotel room. The 36-year-old El Campo man began shooting through the door of the hotel room on the 14th floor of the Holiday Inn-Civic Center when Laredo police arrived. Devian was found dead at the scene, and Jaydin died the next day in the hospital.

Cerny's body was found about 5 p.m. Tuesday in a field between the 700 and 800 blocks of Dunlap Street in El Campo.

A preliminary autopsy indicates she was shot and died at the scene.

Bluntson's motive is still unknown. He's being held in the Webb County Jail.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS

To learn more about the Domestic Violence Awareness Project, go to www.DVAM.vawnet.org.

Victims of domestic violence can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE to learn how to get help.

DONATIONS

Memorial donations to the family can be made to the Brandy Cerny and Children Memorial Fund at either the NewFirst National Bank or Prosperity Bank.

TAITON - A small and even smaller baby blue casket rested on either side of Brandy Cerny's pearly white one.

Mom was back beside her boys.

"Brandy, Jaydin and Devian - always together in life. There was hardly a time we saw Brandy without her precious sons," Brandy's aunt, Dianne Cerny said at their funeral. "Brandy, Jaydin and Devian - now together in death."

More than 300 people filled the St. John Catholic Church in Taiton on Monday to celebrate the lives of Cerny and her two sons, Jaydin Thompson and Devian Bluntson. Cerny had given her family 28 years "full of love, full of life, kindness and compassion," her aunt said. They had six years with Jaydin and a brief, but sweet, 21 months with Devian.

Cerny was found shot to death in her hometown of El Campo on June 19. Earlier that day, Devian died of a gunshot wound in a Laredo hotel. His big brother died the next day in a San Antonio hospital.

Demond Bluntson, Cerny's boyfriend and Devian's father, is charged in their deaths.

By Monday, Cerny's friends said they could still hear her laugh.

More than one person mentioned the laugh that echoed through the high school where Cerny graduated with honors. Cerny would go on to receive a bachelor's degree in psychology and was working on a master's degree.

"She got us in trouble plenty of days," her friend, Wykisha Bishop joked about her uncontrollable laugh. "I'm missing her laugh right now. I swear I heard it in my sleep the other night."

The El Campo Class of 2002 honored their classmate at Monday's funeral and offered to lend an ear, a shoulder, a hand to the Cerny family when they need it.

Meanwhile, Jaydin's cousin offered memories of the boy who was her best friend at grandma's house.

Kellen Dorotik, 7, always asked for Jaydin first thing during her frequent visits to grandma's. It was the same for Jaydin. Kellen talked about swimming with her cousin, about playing with his Christmas presents.

She couldn't repeat enough how much fun she and Jaydin had during their short time together.

"We had such a fun time, but Jaydin has passed away," Kellen said.

Jaydin's aunt spoke about his love for football, his rambunctious nature and his famous hugs.

Devian had some pretty great hugs, too, she said.

"Sweet and fragile, an innocent little Devy always had an extra sparkle in his eyes. He loved playing and exploring everything around him," the aunt said.

Friends and family accepted the Eucharist and recited the rosary in an eclectic, two-hour service sprinkled with soulful and passionate gospel music.

The crowd who crammed into the corners of the church 10 miles northwest of El Campo wore purple ribbons as a reminder of the domestic violence that claimed the young family. Purple happened to be Cerny's favorite color, said her friends, all donned in purple accessories.

The family used the opportunity to include a special prayer for domestic violence victims.

"We as a family speak out against domestic violence and ask any person who feels threatened to seek the necessary help to break free," Cerny's aunt said. "Brandy was in the process of breaking free."